1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a setting method for an information processing device, and more particularly to a composition setting method when an external processing device is connected to the information processing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A storage control device, which is one type of information processing device, holds information identifying storage devices, such as a hard disk, or the like, connected to the storage control device, and identifies a connected storage device on the basis of this information. The storage control device stores composition information, such as which regions the storage devices are to be divided into when used, and the like, in the form of a table. An operator can change this composition information as appropriate and set up the storage control device to a desired composition for use.
The composition information is saved in a shared memory inside the storage control device, in a table format, and a control section of the storage control device refers to this composition information and performs control whereby the memory region to be accessed by the host device, known as the logical volume, is positioned in the storage device, and the real region and logical volume region in the storage device are associated. This composition information table also stores information whereby the host device connected to the storage control device may access the logical volume, and information required for operations, such as which logical volumes the host computer is permitted to access.
Regardless of whether the operation is performed automatically or by an operator, in order to generate this composition information, it is necessary to have information on the physical composition connected to the storage control device, in other words, connection information relating to the peripheral devices, such as how many hard disks of what types are connected, and the like.
For this purpose, specific information for each type of device which may be connected externally is previously stored in the memory of the storage control device, the specific information of the devices being stored in association with the unique name of each device, such as its model number, or the like.
When a new external device is connected, the storage control device automatically makes an inquiry regarding the unique name (including model number) of the device, such as the model name of the device, and on the basis of the results of this inquiry, it specifies the attributes of the device by referring to the aforementioned device attribute information corresponding to respective types of external devices, which is previously stored in the storage control device.
Thereupon, the storage control device generates a composition information table using this attribute information.
As one example of automatic generation of composition information by an information processing device such as the storage control device described above, a method has been proposed wherein access path information to the devices in question is automatically associated with the unique device information, such as the device attributes, and the like, and collated in a format whereby it can be referenced by a control device controlling the various connected external devices (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-open No. H5-28088).
However, in cases of this kind, it is necessary to predict in advance the types of device which may be connected to the information processing device, and to store capability information, and the like, for these devices in association with the model names of each device. As a result, it is not possible to adapt to cases where a new external device which is not predicted by the storage control device is connected. In particular, in the case of external devices such as a physical storage media, which are improving in capabilities at a dramatic rate, upgrade versions designed to improve performance are being provided in a successive fashion. It is of course impossible for all of the attribute information, and the like, relating to new external devices which are newly released onto the market, to be stored in advance in the information processing device.
On the other hand, even if the external devices connected to the information processing device are identified by some method or other, the subsequent task of generating composition information which determines the manner in which these devices are to be used has become increasingly complex in recent years (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-337863).
However, in order to operate a large scale storage control device, in particular, unless the storage control device assumes a state where it can access the external storage devices, and assign standard composition information to a certain extent, then the storage devices will not be able to perform initial operations, and hence the composition of the storage devices cannot be adjusted to an optimum configuration.